Rattigan350

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Posts by Rattigan350

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  28

  Has The WTS Reached Its Kobayashi Maru Moment?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/kobayashi_maru.

  they observe decline.

  they cut back most everywhere.

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  Rattigan350

  In Star Trek, the Kobayashi Maru is the no-win scenario. The test changes depending on the decisions of the captain to make it more difficult.

  But I look at the no-win scenario as always an either or choice. One can choose A or choose B but not have both A&B.

  That was what Sunday's Watchtower 6/8 taught. It told of a ballerina who chose instead of the career to pioneer. They were teaching that if they choose pioneering that they would be happy, rather than performing. Either Or. But not both. But that is not Christianity. Full time service, meetings, etc.

  I look at better examples such as Lou Whitaker, Chet Lemon who played for the Detroit Tiger and were Witnesses. They were not full time pioneers, but their example was that they were not troublemaker and stayed out of badness. That is more Christian than meetings and FS. They saved their money and retired when they wanted. The same with Larry Graham. They used their talents and did not just become of the many with no identity.
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  23

  Imitate the Faith of Moses Study Article

  by Rattigan350 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the study article imitate the faith of moses study article, is the same old blah that they always have.

  moses, a guy who lived 4000 years ago, did.

  something when he was 40 years old when he was in egypt and when he was in the wilderness at the burning bush, an angel communicated with him.. .

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  Rattigan350

  The study article Imitate the Faith of Moses Study Article, is the same old blah that they always have. Moses, a guy who lived 4000 years ago, did

  something when he was 40 years old when he was in Egypt and when he was in the wilderness at the burning bush, an angel communicated with him.

  Our lives are not an event in 40 years, it is day to day.

  Then there was a quote from a ballerina

  “I realized that the world had given me success and the adoration of
  fans in exchange for my wholehearted worship of Jehovah,” she says. “I prayed
  fervently to him. Then I quit my dancing career.” How does she feel about her decision?
  “I don’t miss my old life. Today, I am 100 percent happy. I pioneer with
  my husband. We’re not famous, and we have very little materially. But we have
  Jehovah, Bible students, and spiritual goals. I don’t have any regrets.”

  Wow, it is always an either or situation. Worship of Jehovah or your dreams, you can't do both. That is because worship

  as they explain is constant meetings and FS and assemblies and study, etc. Then she quit the career. They have very little materially

  so I guess they can't contribute to the new arrangement. She can't even afford Obamacare. They must have searched long and hard to find this example.

  Moses was a unique individual at a unique time and he had real backing for what he was to do, don't compare us to him.

  Then the typical fantasy of the kid dreaming of talking to Moses in the resurrection. Nothing real.
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  34

  Reconciling animals and suffering

  by Pacopoolio in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we know that christians generally go through ridiculous mental voodoo to explain why a benevolent god allows human suffering, and none of it makes any sense, or is filled with bunk logic.

  that's what happens when you try and retrofit a jewish "god is good and evil" religion into a benevolent religion.. .

  one of the biggest "trips" to a jw/christian in continuing this line of thought is asking them why god would create animals simply to suffer and die, then, after they try to blame everything on adam (whose brain god supposedly created, and who put him into the exact situation that had an influence on that brain to cause him to sin).

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  Rattigan350

  God's creation makes no sense.

  God created Eve out of Adam's rib. That means that Adam had ribs before woman and the sin.

  Ribs are for protection to the body. Why would a perfect person need protection to the body?

  Couldn't it heal itself?
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  4

  Recordings of conventions and co talks

  by GoUnion in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  are the parts on conventions and the talks given at congregations at co's still under the orders not to be recorded by the members?

  i seem to remember an announcement like this when i was in, but i paid very little mind to it.

  after learning about some of the more outspoken talks given by co's over the years i was curious what their official reasonings were for these bans.. it seems clear to me though that the ban is simply to give themselves some sort of plausible deniabiltiy and allow the co's to go on their little rants.

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  Rattigan350

  Anyone have recordings of the 2014 convention yet?

  The reason that they don't want recordings circulated is that people will listen and then not attend and then

  that disrupts their business model of getting people to walk by the contribution boxes and because of their reliance on

  the arrangement, they contribute.

  Remember everything is based on $$$$$$4
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  51

  oh cr@p!! its my turn for "an elder called and wants to arrange a shepherding call" thread. Moral support please.

  by MissFit in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  is coming and the elder wanted to set up a visit.

  it's not like i wasn't warned.

  there was a thread that talked about the push to call on inactive ones.. thanks to the heads up here, i knew the motive for the call.. i don't think i even know that eld.

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  Rattigan350

  you mean Morale support, not moral support. You want people to support your morale, not your morals.
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  30

  Big Time Hypocrite

  by Iamallcool in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my dad told me this story long time ago.

  there was an long time elder that is never married.

  he got caught going to brothel one day after a brother followed him there.

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  Rattigan350

  "Hubby decides he wants divorce so decides to go to hooker comes home same night tells my friend (his wife):"

  Why not simply tell his wife he went to see hoker instead of actually going to one.

  And women are so vindictive. They think that they are righteous because they are the "innocent" party but vindictiveness is not righteous.
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  739

  250,000 Jehovah's Witnesses have died refusing blood

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  80+ branch davidian cult members died in waco, texas.

  250,000+ #jehovahswitnesses have died refusing blood.

  stop this #cult!

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  Rattigan350

  Here is another to add to the list

  http://www.wsav.com/story/25424243/smiths-station-woman-dies-after-pit-bull-attack

  The news stories are inaccurate. Those were not pit bulls. The media won't mention that she was a JW. The elders try to hide that fact.

  This woman was baptized Dec 28, 2013 and when she arrived at the hospital she stated that she would not have blood and her mother

  affirmed it. She had lost 80% of her blood. They did surgery and induced a coma, but without sufficient blood, one can't heal.

  From that Monday when the incident happened to that Saturday, she could not heal without blood. It is sad that people just follow the crowd to their end. People said that she maintained integrity to Jehovah, but that is so selfish and arrogant. As if her integrity was what was important, more than her family and congregation, etc. Arrogance is all you can expect from them. Does anyone think that Jehovah is happy with that outcome?

  Then people's believing that they will get resurrected and everything will be OK as long as they obey.

  But then you have to add the teachings on meekness and being sheeplike does not help people in this situation to be fighters for their lives.
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  24

  They are more focussed on the EVENT or ACTIVITY, rather than the substance of the information presented

  by stuckinarut2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  have you noticed how the org, and individuals are more concerned about the actual event such as the international conventions, rather than the content of the program?.

  i often shake my figurative head (ok, literal one too!

  ), as i see the all the hype being generated by the act of attending, and think that most are not actually interested in the stuff that will be presented, but are more concerned about simply being there or getting there..... and, they are more focussed on the activity of a campaign, such as a tract work, or invitation hand out, rather than the actual content of the material.. .

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  Rattigan350

  The wife is all excited about the international convention.

  People from other countries will be there. She heard ones from Finland will be there.

  It's as if she hasn't see people from other countries before.

  But no concern as to the content of the convention.

  Multicolored pens for underlining the Watchtower, but doesn't know the material.
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  67

  Anyone recall a time when your congregation came to the aid of a Brother or sister in need??

  by jam in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  i'm not talking about a individual, but a congregation as a whole.. i'm talking about a brother or sister that really hit hard times.. have there ever been an occasion where the brothers (elders).

  decided to dip into the kh funds and help one in need????.

  example, brother loose his job, get evicted, family of four or.

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  Rattigan350

  Recently an announcement was made and a resolution was passed that if someone died, then the congregation would provide flowers for the funeral.

  And some natural disasters occurred and one was read about helping them, but I don't remember that one.
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  26

  Pioneering: How the GB shamelessly capitalizes on members' worldly desire for prominence.

  by Island Man in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the bible likens the preaching work to a sacrifice of praise - praise to god.

  pioneering is also a sacrifice that involves praise.

  it's the sacrifice of a specified number of hours that wins you the praise of men.. when you really analyze the psychology of pioneering it is apparent that the praise of men or prominence before men is at the heart of it.

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  Rattigan350

  Now think about it: what's the difference between just giving your best in the ministry and winding up preaching for 72 hours at the end of the month; and signing up to be a pioneer and preaching for 70 hours in the first 3 weeks in the month and taking the last week off because you have "made your hours"?

  I asked that of Witnesses back in 1998 or 1999 when the pioneer hours were reduced.

  What is the purpose of pioneering? People were glad and excited of the change. If someone had 70 hours prior to the change and then s/he had the same 70 after the change what is the difference? There is no pioneer discount. If someone had gone to pioneer school, one couldn't go again. It is just an accumulation of "full-time service." or meetings with the CO. and the Title.

  People called me names and bad association and apostate. They said that they needed the hour requirement for motivation.

  Just a bunch of bums who liked the title.